Report outlines key areas to enable youth and young adults to thrive in Strathcona County

The Youth Needs and Assets Assessment final report, presented to Priorities Committee on October 22, 2019, provided six key areas for the County to consider as it works towards creating conditions within our community that support the best possible outcomes for youth and young adults in Strathcona County.

Initiated by Council, the Youth Needs and Assets Assessment was developed in partnership with Yardstick Research and explored existing opportunities for youth and young adults in the County between the ages of 14 to 29, while identifying areas for improvement.

This important work included over 1,200 youth, parents, teachers and youth-serving agencies sharing valuable insights, through surveys and engagement sessions, into how the community can help youth thrive in Strathcona County.

The six key themes emerging from the data included: communication and engagement, collaboration, mental health, gathering spaces, transportation and affordability. These themes were captured under a broader recommendation for the development of a community-led strategy to further enable youth and young adults to flourish in Strathcona County.

The review also produced an environmental scan of the statistical profile of youth and young adults in Strathcona County and comparator communities, socio-economic trends that can act as root contributors to challenges faced by youth, and information on how similar sized municipalities currently serve the mental, physical, social and community needs of youth.

The results of the Youth Needs and Assets Assessment provide Council with an important foundation for exploring future approaches to meeting the needs of youth and young adults, along with valuable insights on how to best meet the Social Framework’s four key outcomes of affordability, access to programs and services, connectedness and inclusion, and safety.

Visit strathcona.ca/YouthVoice or call 780-464-4044 to view the report.

Set in the centre of Alberta’s energy and agricultural heartland, Strathcona County is a thriving, successful and vibrant community of over 98,000 residents. Strathcona County is made up of the urban area of Sherwood Park and a large adjacent rural area of farms, acreages and smaller hamlets. It is home to 75 per cent of hydrocarbon processing in Western Canada. Strathcona County is a leader in environmental conservation, and 55 per cent of its land is within the UNESCO Beaver Hills Biosphere. With a focus on economic, governance, social, cultural and environmental sustainability, Strathcona County is committed to balancing the unique needs of its diverse community.

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Contact: Strathcona County Communications, 780-410-6595